JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The family of the man killed by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday is holding a vigil Saturday night to remember his life.
Jacksonville police shot and killed Randy Sharpe, 30, after they said they saw the man fire a gun in a shopping plaza parking lot along Blanding Boulevard, just north of 103rd Street, and then pointed it at officers.
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Police said Sharpe had been drinking before the altercation, which happened around 9:30 p.m. on the Westside.
It’s still unclear what Sharpe was shooting at in the parking lot or if the bullets hit anything.
Police said the incident began when Sharpe called a female friend and asked for a ride to help run some errands. They said at one point, the two started arguing, so she pulled into the parking lot, got out of the car and started to walk away.
She told police that seconds later, she heard gunshots.
Sharpe had taken her gun, which she had in the car, and fired a number of shots, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Nearby officers heard the gunfire and pulled into the parking lot. They said Sharpe then went behind one of the businesses toward the back parking lot and started to run away.
According to JSO, when the officers tried to engage him, Sharpe turned back and pointed the gun at the officers.
Both officers fired shots at Sharpe, hitting him. He later died at the hospital.
No officers were injured in the shooting.
Sharpe’s sister spoke to News4JAX before the vigil on Saturday and said Sharpe was a father of five and enjoyed spending time with his children. She said his death has been very tough on their family.
Court records show Sharpe had a lengthy criminal history, including arrests for drugs, robbery and traffic issues, and a woman took out a restraining order against him in 2017.
The State Attorney’s Office is investigating the officer-involved shooting.